We all know the famous Shakespeare quote about the state of Denmark.
As the results of Denmarks elections came in I now see foreign reporting on how the left and moderates fought off the (extreme) right.
Specifically there's mentions on how this is a win for those favouring closer international cooperation, humane treatment of all people etc etc...
It appears most of these articles project non-Danish concepts on Danish political reality.
->
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Social Democrats, the party of the current prime minister, Mette Frederiksen won the 2019 elections in part as they shifted to an anti-immigration platform.
They won from the right-wing party (Venstre) then led by the man now described as a potential kingmaker (Lars Løkke Rasmussen, man with pipe) who pioneered those policies.
Since then Denmark has just shifted more right-wing and anti-other-people.
In some towns in our "rural" community openly xenophobic parties got 35% of the votes.
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You don't notice it when you go to the large cities.
But you do notice it in the more rural (and still rich) areas like the one we call home.
Being openly xenophobic, even being openly racist.. is not a reason to be shunned these days. Instead it's a position you and your neighbour can "debate".
For those patriotism for "Danish things" is often a thin cover for nationalism, (open) xenophobia & racism. People genuinely believe in a Danish native superiority over "other peoples".
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And while I am happy that the "left" did reasonably well in yesterdays elections, it is not the win it is made out to be.
The area I call home is the base of the world's largest toy company. It has a massive airport and hosts other large employers.
Most people, including unemployed, in this area have a high quality of life.
There's no "30% of people loosing out" here. Yet that is what many do believe. The cause? Foreigners (and, apparently, solar panels). The solution? Vote "against".
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Maybe examples are a good idea:
>Being openly xenophobic
The local leader of the Danmarksdemokraterne (Danish Democrats) here acts openly racist in public*. And is not called out for it because "his policies for the community are not xenophobic."
*What I witnessed personally: he's third in a restaurant line. He waits for the older 'ethnic Dane' and then steps around the clearly 'not-ethnic Dane' and orders as if she doesn't exist.
People report the same behaviour in the supermarket etc.
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2/2 A local man had this as his Facebook profile banner.
[Bunch of people holding up a banner saying "white lives matter" (in itself a racist slogan). Someone added "Only" to the image to emphasise the racism to the less intellectual racists.]
A candidate standing in yesterdays elections for Danish Democrats liked this.
As I consider this relevant I contacted journalists from national outlets. One replied "You have to understand in Denmark we don't discuss private life of candidates".
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Pepijn
geeeero